Gamlebyen

Gamlebyen Review

Named after a king who never bothered to visit the city (Fredrerik II), and designed by one of the most prominent military engineers of the time (J. C. de Cicignon), Gamlebyen, Fredrikstad's Old Town, is the best-preserved fortress town in the whole of Scandinavia. Its cobbled streets, old wooden houses, and quaint boutiques evoke a time gone by. The local marching band is often seen (and heard) rehearsing in full regalia, and many of the original 200 cannons that used to guard this garrison town can still be seen on the thick rampart walls. Check out Bastion 5, a cluster of galleries featuring ceramics, paintings and jewelry by local artists, housed in the old slavery building, and stop at the old-fashioned bakery for coffee and skolebrød (custard pastry with coconut flakes) on the way back. There is a lively market every Saturday on the main square in summer.